High on Grass – Ft. Lauderdale Edition
Yazan: Derek | 13 January 2012 | 1 Comment
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
Race 10 at Gulfstream on Saturday offers a sneak peak into the male turf division for 2012, with the running of the Ft. Lauderdale Stakes (G3). The weather forecast calls for sunny skies and temps in the 70s, so I’ve handicapped for firm turf. Post time is scheduled for 4:45 ET, so lets take a [...]
Making (and Playing) an Allowance at Hawthorne
Yazan: Paul | 19 November 2011 | Comments Off
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
After a week off for the Breeders’ Cup, Paul Mazur returns home to Hawthorne. Without a major stakes on the calendar in the month of November, we look for our plays in the allowance ranks in one of Saturday’s two features. Hawthorne – Race 5 – N2X/$35K-$25K Allowance Optional Claimer (AOC) (Turf) – Post time [...]
A Late-Season Turf Treat — Hawthorne’s Halloween Weekend
Yazan: Paul | 29 October 2011 | 1 Comment
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
For most, Halloween weekend either means donning a costume, attending a party, or giving out to candy to those who come to the door. For handicappers, it’s a respite as most look forward to next week’s Breeders’ Cup. Paul Mazur (@heylaserbeam) looks at two overnight grass stakes for two-year-olds at Hawthorne this weekend, seeing if [...]
High on Grass – Jamaica, First Lady & Shadwell Turf Mile Edition
Yazan: Derek | 07 October 2011 | 3 Comments
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
With only four weeks until the Breeders Cup, this weekend offers the last round of significant prep races before the big day. In honor of his one-year anniversary writing for WirePlayers, Derek Brown returns to the races from his maiden post with a trio of Saturday’s G1 stakes from Belmont and Keeneland Belmont Race [...]
Super Saturday? You Bet!
Yazan: Derek | 02 October 2011 | 1 Comment
Categories: Horse Racing
The rain held off and Saturday was a tremendous day of racing at Belmont Park. Derek Brown (AKA NJDerek) gives his recap. Belmont’s Super Saturday is always one of my favorite days of racing. Several days of rain earlier in the week left the turf courses quite soft, forcing the early races to the main [...]
Weekend Stakes Racing Action
Yazan: Steve | 30 September 2011 | 3 Comments
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
This weekend is a Stakes Players’s dream with 18 graded stakes races headlined by Belmont Park’s “Super Saturday.” In addition to the Saturday’s Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup Belmont, this is opening weekend for Santa Anita’s fall meet (once traditionally held by the Oak Tree Racing Association). Perhaps the most interesting, and best betting races, [...]
A Saturday Salad of Stakes Quick Picks
Yazan: Derek | 23 September 2011 | 4 Comments
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
If fall stakes races were a gourmet meal, the Breeders Cup would be the lobster tail and filet mignon and next weekend would be a hearty appetizer of steamed mussels or crab-stuffed mushrooms. Thus, in keeping with the metaphor, Saturday afternoon offers a nice Caesar salad of stakes around the country. While they likely won’t [...]
High on Grass – Woodbine Weekend Turf Stakes Edition
Yazan: Derek | 16 September 2011 | 9 Comments
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
This weekend’s best turf stakes take place north of the border at Woodbine Racetrack, headlined by Sunday’s G1 Woodbine Mile. Saturday offers a preview of the Breeders Cup Juvenile Turf races, and Sunday showcases the older turf division. In an odd twist, none of the stakes are part of any all-stakes multi-race wagers, but Derek [...]
Belmont Park Fall Championship Meet
Yazan: Dylan | 08 September 2011 | 5 Comments
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
While some may be sad that Saratoga meet is over, there is still plenty to look forward to this fall at Belmont Park. The fall “Championship Meet” at Belmont is arguably the strongest in the country with its series of prep races leading up to the Breeders Cup, horse racing’s year ending championship. The opening [...]
High on Grass – Arlington Million Edition
Yazan: Derek | 12 August 2011 | 4 Comments
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
There may be eight million stories in the naked city, but there’s $200,000 and then some up for grabs in the Windy City in Arlington Park’s all-turf stakes middle pick 4 tomorrow, headlined by the G1 Arlington Million. For the sake of this post, let’s not focus on how bad a transition that was. Here’s Derek’s [...]
Saratoga Steeplechase – Mrs. Ogden Phipps Stakes
Yazan: Dylan | 10 August 2011 | Comments Off
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
Thursdays in August are the best as once again a hurdle race will kick off the Saratoga card. This week’s feature has a unique group of fillies and mares headed postward as several entered have yet to break their maiden. #1 WELL FASHOINED (4-1) is the horse with the most upside. A rule I usually [...]
Saratoga Steeplechase – A. P. Smithwick Memorial Steeplechase S. (Grade II)
Yazan: Dylan | 02 August 2011 | Comments Off
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
Dylan J., our resident steeplechase expert, is back with his preview of Thursday’s steeplechase feature at Saratoga. What makes summer racing at Saratoga special is not only the bounty of quality stakes races, but the commitment to steeplechasing. This week’s steeplechase feature is the Grade II Smithwick, the traditional prep for the NY Turf Writers [...]
High on Grass – Haskell Day Turf Stakes Edition
Yazan: Derek | 30 July 2011 | Comments Off
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
Hopefully you cashed on the $331 trifecta we gave out in the Diana yesterday. Today’s 14-race card at Monmouth, headlined by the G1 Haskell Invitational, spans nearly 7 hours and offers some great betting opportunities. Derek Brown (AKA NJDerek) takes a look at the three turf stakes on the card. Jersey Derby– 8.5F – Race [...]
High on Grass – Diana and Dave Edition
Yazan: Derek | 29 July 2011 | 1 Comment
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
Lots to like on the lawn this weekend. Sunday’s card at Monmouth is chock full of turf stakes, but we’ll talk about that in a separate post. For today, Derek Brown (AKA NJDerek) is taking a closer look at a pair of graded turf stakes at Saratoga this weekend. Grade 1 Diana Stakes ($500K) – [...]
Weekend Graded Stakes Preview
Yazan: Steve | 22 July 2011 | Comments Off
Categories: Handicapping, Horse Racing
With the first weekend of racing at beautiful Del Mar and historic Saratoga the racing season is heating up. Both tracks offer graded stakes on Saturday and Sunday and Arlington Park gets into the mix with the Stars and Stripes Stakes tomorrow. Here’s the rundown: Saratoga Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks ($250K purse) – [...]
